Electric plug assembling machine



Jan. 27, 1942. c, H. JuDlscH 2,271,077

ELECTRIC PLUG ASSEMBLING MACHINE y ledv June 17. 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 Ahr iiinn luelmlllgm v .I l-l A ,fav

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y@ 26 |NvENToR (147 Judi c' f n* B v Jw- ATT ORNEYS Jan. 27, 1942. c, H, Juplscl-l 2,271,077-

ELECTRIC PLUG ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed June 17, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Har; Jadis 7l BY u I da# ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 27, 1942 ELECTRIC PLUG ASSEMBLING MACHINE Carl H. Judisch, New Haven, Conn., assignor to The Whitney Blake- Company, New Haven, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application June 17, 1940, serial No. 340,951

6 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for assembling'electrical connector plugs, and, more particularly, to a machine for assembling the prongs of a male type electrical connector plug which have been attached to conductors with a body of f resilient material such as rubber which is preformed with passageways for receiving and positioning the contact prongs.

Until recently, connector plugs have generally been formed of some hard insulating material such as ebonite and Bakelite. The contact prongs were attached to the plug by screws or rivets and carried some securing means, such as screws, by means of which the conductor or cable was attached to theprongs.

This type of -connector plug has more or less fallen into -disuse since the advent of the soft rubber or flexible type of connector plug. -The flexible or soft rubber connector plug is generally preformed with a substantially Y-shaped passageway for receiving the contact prongs and the walls of the passageway given some special configuration cooperating with the contact prongs to position and lock the contact prong A in the passageway after the same have been received therein.

The advent of the flexible or soft rubber connector plug necessitated the adoption of assembly methods different. than that used in connection with the previously used connector plugs.

vwould automatically assemble contact prongs with the flexible or rubber plug.

In one lpreviously proposed machine, a pair of fingers are employed to spread the base or neck of the plug to permit a pair of arms to be passed in parallel paths of movement tact prong-receiving passageways and into the conductor cavity and thence out through the base of the plug, whereupon an operator mounted on the exposed ends of the pull arms a pair of contact prongs which have previously been attached to conductors.

The pull arms were then withdrawn to pull the contact prongs into their proper position 1n the contact prong-receiving passageways.

In a second type o through the con- V neck was not distended and the pull arms were cam actuated so that the portion of the pull arms being passed through the plug body were given lateral movements to permit the free ends of the pull arms to follow the sinuous paths formed by the prong-receiving passageways and the conductor receiving cavity. l

The cycle of operation of this type of machine was identical with the type of machine first described, for the pull arms were first pushed through the plug body to expose the free ends at the rear or base of the plug, whereupon cond-uctor prongs were mounted to the free ends and the pull arms retracted to pull the contact prongs into the prong-receiving passageways of th-e plug.

These previously proposed machines, although they permitted a faster assemblythan the hand method, presented a number offdiiculties. The fingers of the first type of machine which stretched the base of the cap many times tore or ripped the flexible material vof the plug body necessitating the destruction of the ripped plug. This type of machine, inasmuch as it included j in its cycle of operation the step of stretching the base of the plug was somewhat slower than the type of machine which did not stretch the base of the plug.

The type of machine already described which depended upon the movement given the pull arms to permit their passage through the plug body obviated the di'iculty arising through the use of the base stretching type of machine, but were not 'eicient in operationA as the cam controlled movement given the pull arms increased the time of assembling the prongs.

`The machine of the present invention is designed to assemble connector plu-gs such as shown and described in the Brownstein Patent No. 2,169,219, and comprises a pair of pull arms moving in converging paths of movement during their passage through the `plug body to a position wherein the free ends are exposed at the rear or bas'e of the plug so that contact prongs may be mounted thereon whereupon the pull arms are then retracted in a straight line motion but in -diver-ging paths .to pull the contact prongs into proper position in the prong-receiving passageways.

The prongs, when properly positioned in the plug, are released fromV the pull arms and the resiliency of the plug body causes the prongs to be properly seated within the preformed passageway. Preferably the prongs and Walls of f machine, the base of the fw the passageways are so formed, that, when the prongs are properly positioned within the passageways, the prong is held against accidental removal.

The pull arms of the machine herein disclosed are actuated by a simple mechanism in straight line paths of movement and the cycle of operation of the machine has been reduced to a minimum of operations. The machine is economical to build, and, due to the minimum of working parts and operations in the assembly cycle, the machine requires little servicing and permits an ease of assembly not known before the present invention.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine of the present invention showing the position of the parts when the pull arms have been passed through the plug body to the position wherein the operator may mount the prongs to the free ends thereof.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the position of the parts as the pull arms are about to be moved through the plug. K

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged View of the free ends of the pull arms as they are about to be moved through the plug body which is shown cut away.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the pull arms extending through the plug and with the prongs mounted to the free ends thereof.

Fig. 7 is also a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the position of the pull arms at the limit of their pulling stroke and with the prongs positioned within the prong-receiving passageways of the plug.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a plug showing-the prongs in their operative position in the passageways.

The machine of the present invention preferably comprises a support or base plate III1 to which is rigidly secured, by hold down bolts II, a bed plate I2. The bed plate I2 slidably supports a pair of carriages I3 each supporting an elongate arm I4. Each carriage I3 is provided with a guide or follower I5 secured to the undersurface thereof by bolts I6. The guides orfollowersv I5 vride in angularly disposed elongate cam slots I'I formed in the bed plate I2 and determine the path of movement of each carriage. To hold each carriage I3 against the top surface of the plate I2 during movement, a retaining member I8 is secured' to each guide I5 and held thereto by the bolts I6.

The carriages I3 supporting the arms I4 are to be simultaneously moved to pass the arms I4 through a plug body I9 mounted in a suitable support 29 also secured to the bed plate I2.` The plug I9 is provided with a substantially Y-shaped preformed passageway to receive suitable contact prongs and the converging' slots of the Y- shaped passageway, when the plug is positioned in the support 2D, are coincident with extensions of the medial lines of the slots I'I'. It will be seen, therefore, that the followers. I5 will guide the movement of the carriages I3 and cause the arms I4 to pass through the slotsV of the plug when the carriages are moved.

Any mechanism may be employed to move the carriages I3, but, in the preferred form of the invention, the carriages I3 are reciprocably moved by means of a compressed air mechanism which may comprise a piston (not shown) moving in a cylinder 2l carried by the bed plate I2. The piston carries a rod 22 which supports at its outer end a bifurcated member 23. A yoke 24, secured between the tines of the member 23, is provided at its .opposite ends with elongate slots 25. A roller 26, mounted between the tine of a bifurcated end of each carriage I3, is disposed within each slot 25 and connects the carriages to the yoke. The underneath surface of the lower tine of the member 23, referring now to Fig. 4, is formed with a groove receiving an elongate tongue 2'I secured by suitable bolts 28 to the bed plate I2.

The tongue and groove connection between the n member 23 and the bed plate I2 supports and guides the yoke 24 during the action of the compressed air mechanism. Movement of the yoke 24 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, will cause a corresponding movement of the carriages I3 which, as previously explained, are guided in their movement by theV followers I5 riding in the slots I1.

The roller and slot connection between 'each carriage and the yoke permits the latter to move both carriages simultaneously in their angularly disposed paths of movement defined by the slots I1.

` Continued movement of the yoke 24 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, will cause the free ends of the arms I4 to enter guide slots 29,\formed in the plug support 20, leading to the prong-receiving passageways 30 of the plug I9 `and through the plug body tothe position shown in Fig. 6;

The arms do not distend the plug body so that all danger of the arms ripping the plug body is obviated. It will be seen, referring again to Fig. 6, that, even with the arms extending through the body of the plug, `no distention of the material of the plug is had.I

The operator may now mount to the freef'ends of the arms I4 the contact prongs 3I which have Ibeen previously connected to the conductors 32 of the cable' 332 and which are formed with suitable apertures 34 to receive hooks 35 formed at the free end of' each arm I4.

The air cylinder 2l is so designed that vmovement of the yoke 24 is arrested when the arms I4 have -arrived at the position in the cycley of operation of the machine shown in Fig. 5, but will return the arms I4 to their original position by the actuation of suitable'mechanism under the control ofthe operator.

To properly space and guide the movements of the pull arms I4, a guide roller 36, secured to the bed plate I2 in front of Vthesupport 2U, is formedv with a circumferential groovev receiving the pull arms I4A and properly?" spaces and guides the pull arms during their movement.

'Ihe roller 36 is` also used to release the contact prongs 3l from the hooks 35 of the pull arms I4. It will be seen, referring now to Fig. '7, that return movement of the pull arms I4 will pull the contact prongs 3| into their respective passagewaysV 3U aswelln as the end of the `cable 33'. The free ends -of` the contact prongs 3|, when they emerge from the guide slots 29', engage -thev roller 36 and` are spread thereby, as they are of a width greater than theslot within whichl the pull arms ride, which causes 'the be released from the hooks 35..`

The operator may now remove the assembled cap I9 from the support 20, and, as show-n in Fig. 8, the resiliency of the plug body will cause prongs to the tangs 31 formed on veach contact prong 3l to enter and seat within suitable notches v38 formed on a wall of each prong-receiving passage 30. The reception of the tangs 3l within the notches 38 prevent movement ofthe prongs 3l relative to the plug body and the prongs will be permanently anchored within the'plug.

The machine of the present invention provides for an ease of assembly due to the simple movement of the pull arms which also increases the speed of production. The number of moving parts has been reduced to a minimum thereby decreasing wear and loss of the machine from production for replacement of worn parts.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. An assembling mechanism comprising a support; means on said support for holding a connector plug of resilient material having a pair of converging passageways therethrough; a yoke mounted transversely ofA said support and provided with a pair of slots extending longitudinally thereof; a pair of arms; a roller carried by each arm and received within each slot; a guide carried by each arm, each guide disposed within one of a pair of angularly disposed slots formed in said support, the extensions of the medial lines of said slots being coincident with the converging passageways of said plug; means for moving said yoke longitudinally of said support, movement of said yoke causing said arms to move in paths of movement defined by said last-named slots and through said converging passageways; and means `formed at the free ends of said arms to receive contact prongs after said free ends pass through said plug, said yoke moving means moving said yoke to cause said arms to withdraw from said passageways to pull the prongs into said passageways and partially through said plug.

2. An assembling mechanism comprising an elongated support; means on said support for holding a connector plug of resilient material having a pair of converging passageways therethrough; a yoke mounted transversely of said support and provided with a pair of slots extending longitudinally thereof; a pair of carriages; an elongate arm extending from the end face of each carriage and projecting toward said holding means; a roller carried by each carriage and received within each slot; a follower carried by each carriage; a pair of angularly disposed cam slots formed in said support, each follower disposed within one of said cam slots, the extensions of the medial lines of said cam slots being coincident with said converging passageways; means for moving said yoke longitudinally of said support, movement of said yoke causing said carriage to move in paths of movement defined by said cam slots to push the free ends of the arms through said converging passageways; and means formed at the free ends of said arms to receive contact prongs after said free ends pass through said plug, said yoke moving means returning said yoke tocause said carriages to withdraw said arms from said passageways to pull the prongs into operative position in said plug.

3. An assembling machine comprising a support; means carried by said support for holding a plug of resilient material having a pair of converging passageways therethrough; a pair of elongated straight guides associated with said support and fixed at such an angle with each other that extensions of the medial lines thereof will pass through the passageways of a supported plug, substantially in` alignment with the .divergence Vof said passageways; a slide mounted for movement along each guide; a straight arm carried by each slide on the plug side thereof; means on the free ends of said arms for securingacontactblade thereto, said arms adapted to move with said slides along the medial lines of said guides, whereby said arms may move through thefpassageways of a supported plug to expose the contact blade-securing means, and then move `back to pull the blades into the plug, the movement of the arms being substantially coincident with the passageways; and means for actuating the slides to simultaneously effectuate the movement of the arms.

4. An assembling machine comprising a support; means carried by said support for holding a plug of resilient material having a pair of converging passageways therethrough; a pair of elongated straight guides associated with said support and xed at such an angle with each other that extensions of the medial lines thereof will pass through the passageways of a supported plug, substantially in alignment with the divergence of said passageways; a slide mounted for movement along each guide; a straight arm carried by said slide on the plug side thereof; means on the free ends of said arms for securing a contact blade thereto, said arms adapted to move with said slides along the medial lines of said guides, whereby said arms may move through the passageways of a supported plug to expose the contact blade-securing means, and then move back to pull the blades into the plug, the movement of the arms being substantially coincident with the passageways; means for connecting the slides together for conjoint movement; and means for reciprocating said connecting means for actuating the slides to simultaneously effectuate the movement of said arms.

5. An assembly mechanism comprising a support; means carried by said support for holding a plug of resilient material having a pair of converging passageways therethrough, said support having a pair of cam slots formed therein, the medial line of said cam slots being coincident with extensions of said passageways; a follower riding in'each cam slot; a carrier fixed to each follower and slidably mounted on said support; an arm extending from the end face of each carriage and projecting toward said plug, the longitudinal axis of each arm being coincident with the medial line of one of said cam slots; a yoke; displaceable connection means for securing each carriage to said yoke; and means for reciprocating said yoke toward and away from said plug. the connecting means between said carriages and yoke permitting said carriages to be reciprocably moved in paths defined by said cam slots to cause said arms to be pushed through said passages to expose the free ends thereof, the free ends thereof being adapted to pick up a pair of contact prongs which are pulled into said passageways and partially through said plug upon a return movement of said carriage.

6. An assembly mechanism comprising an elongated support; means on said support for holding a connector plug of resilient material having a pair of converging passageways therethrough; a yoke mounted transversely to said support; a pair of carriages adapted for movement longitudinally of said support; an elongate arm extending from the one end of each carriage said carriages to move in paths of movement defined by said slots whereby the free ends of the arms are pushed through said converging passageways; and means formed at the free ends of the said arms to receive Contact prongs after said free ends pass through said plug, said yoke moving means moving said yoke to cause said carriages to Withdraw said arms from said passageways to pull the prongs into operative posi- 10 tion in said plug.

CARL H. JUDISCH. 

